EDMONTON — Omar Khadr, the Canadian citizen who spent years detained in Guantanamo Bay, was transferred from a maximum-security prison in Edmonton to a medium-security facility north of Calgary.

“As Omar’s counsel, Dennis Edney and I are pleased to see Canada finally acknowledge that Omar is not a dangerous individual. We trust that this is the first step by Canada in providing Omar with treatment that is appropriate for someone who is a former child soldier," co-counsel John Phillips said.

Khadr, 27, who was the youngest person detained by U.S. military in Guantanamo, was first transferred to Canada in 2012.

He was sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty in 2010 to terrorism, spying and the murder of American soldier Christopher Speer in Afghanistan in 2002, when Khadr was just 15 years old.

Against the wishes of the federal Conservative government, which has been outspoken about making sure his punishment isn't reduced, Khadr was reclassified in November as a medium-security threat.

Phillips said his client was transferred to Bowden Institution in Innisfail as a medium-security prisoner.